The Insider

CHARLESTON, SC -- On a spring day in South Carolina, shipyard workers at HII's newly acquired facility here were laying the groundwork for submarine modules and putting the finishing touches on an initial aircraft carrier "structural unit" that will soon become part of future Ford-class aircraft carrier Doris Miller (CVN-81).

Fewer than 60 days have passed since HII took over this 480,000 square foot metal fabrication facility from previous owner W International, and the team has just finished building this first carrier unit, which was loaded onto a truck on Friday and driven some 400 miles to HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia for installation on CVN-81.

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The Space Force on Wednesday published its Data & Artificial Intelligence Fiscal Year 2025 Strategic Action Plan that aims to give the young, digitally focused service a roadmap for integrating existing and new technologies.

The service needs to “emphasize AI literacy” to effectively use such capabilities as a deterrent against Chinese or Russian aggression, acting Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Cyber and Data Col. Nathan Iven wrote in the strategy’s introduction.

“In this contested and congested domain,” he wrote, “superiority will be defined by our capability to integrate with interagency, allies and commercial partners to advance data capabilities, real-time analytics and emerging AI technology to outpace adversaries and maintain operational superiority.”

The strategy consists of four lines of effort:

• Mature enterprise-wide data and AI governance.
• Advance a data-driven and AI-enabled culture.
• Rapidly adopt data, advanced analytics and AI technologies.
• Strengthen government, industry and international partnerships.

The first line of effort will primarily work to create the bureaucracy to manage data and AI capabilities, uses and investments.

The second stresses the need to boost awareness and understanding among Space Force guardians of the data and AI available as well as how to use it. The effort also orders a framework for collaboration and competition for data and AI technologies and uses.

The third focuses on acquisition, evaluation and management of data and the technologies that exploit data.

Advancing the Unified Data Library -- the data-repository intended to consolidate a variety of information streams -- is a key component of this effort. The strategy calls for the Space Force to transition UDL into a program of record and identify new data sets and collection sensors to integrate.

The fourth line of effort sets up plans for working with partners -- including other services, the intelligence community and allies -- on addressing common needs, integrating data and sharing AI capabilities.

All of the activities laid out in the strategy are set to be completed by the end of the fiscal year.

The bulk of this Wednesday INSIDER Daily Digest consists of coverage from the McAleese Defense Programs Conference.

The Space Force's No. 2 uniformed officer wants more money from Congress, given China's recent advancements:

Guetlein calls for more Space Force funding as China practices 'dogfighting in space'

Maintaining the military advantage in space is reliant on the United States' commitment to resourcing the Space Force, Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. Michael Guetlein warned yesterday, and that commitment is even more pressing as China continues to demonstrate advances in space technology.

Army Lt. Gen. Karl Gingrich, deputy chief of staff G-8, spoke about his service's budget at the McAleese conference this week:

'Replenishment' funds can plug yearlong CR holes, senior Army official says

Army pains from the yearlong continuing resolution may be assuaged by "replenishment funds" from Congress, according to a senior service official.

The Defense Department is seeking to quash a rumor that foreign-owned F-35 Joint Strike Fighters can be disabled with a "kill switch":

Pentagon denies F-35 'kill switch' rumors

The Pentagon this week countered speculation that the U.S. government can remotely disable other nations' F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets, stating in a notice to reporters, "There is no kill switch."

U.S. Strategic Command could use more bombers:

Cotton wants more B-21s than currently planned

Air Force Gen. Anthony Cotton, the head of U.S. Strategic Command, said he wants more next-generation bombers than the Pentagon already has on order.

The second-highest-ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee discussed propellant and explosive materials at the McAleese conference:

DOD 'finally on track' toward modernized energetics, but still behind, Wittman says

The Defense Department has taken steps toward upgrading its propellant and explosive materials after some congressional prodding, but it's still outmatched, according to Rep. Robert Wittman (R-VA), vice chair of the House Armed Services Committee.

The Air Force's top uniformed officer talked about the challenges of maintaining infrastructure the service doesn't need:

'More tooth, less tail': Air Force wants to ditch excess infrastructure to meet Trump administration objectives

At the top of the Air Force's list of solutions to ensure deterrence and protect the homeland -- concepts Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has laid out as central to building lethality and military readiness -- is acknowledging an "unkept secret" about the toll of caring for the service's excess infrastructure, according to Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin.

Because of recent litigation, the Defense Department has had to pause its effort to terminate around 5,400 probationary civilian employees, but senior officials said today the Pentagon still plans to cut between 5% and 8% of its total civilian workforce one way or another.

A senior defense official who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity said DOD is -- for now -- mostly focused on cutting jobs via its deferred resignation program and an ongoing hiring freeze.

Civilians that have been approved for the DRP, the official said, amount to nearly 21,000 jobs that will likely be shed before the end of the year.

The official said more than 21,000 people applied for the DRP, though most have been accepted.

The hiring freeze, meanwhile, means DOD is forgoing the hiring of approximately 6,000 civilians per month, roughly 70,000 annually.

The official said the military services and under secretary of defense for personnel have the authority to grant exemptions to the hiring freeze if needed.

Because of ongoing litigation, the official said DOD is unable to comment on its plans to shed 5,400 probationary employees this month but noted the employees who were part of those planned reductions were considered because of performance-related issues.

“The department is committed to fully complying with every applicable court order regarding the process,” the official said.

A federal judge in Maryland has temporarily ruled against the termination of probationary employees at several federal agencies, ordering they be put on paid administrative leave. A second federal judge in California has ruled the employees must be reinstated. The Trump administration is appealing both decisions.

Still, if DOD is to cut 5% to 8% of its nearly 800,000-strong civilian workforce, the department will need to eliminate between 40,000 and 64,000 jobs. Veterans account for approximately 46% of DOD’s total civilian workforce.

“We do understand some veterans will be a part of the removal,” the official said.

The official noted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has ordered the cuts in response to a White House directive, has other options open to him to achieve the Trump administration’s desired level of downsizing, like offering incentives for separation or ordering a reduction in force (RIF).

“It will be the secretary’s prerogative to designate how and when he might use any of the other tools that would be available to him to achieve the stated reduction targets,” the official said.

Work is also being done, according to the official, to ensure the elimination of civilian employees doesn't increase the burden on military personnel, though the process remains a “very active, very live process.”

“The 5% to 8% reduction is not a drastic one,” the official said. “It is one the secretary is confident can be done without negatively impacting readiness.”

This Monday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on civilian personnel reductions within the Space Force, plus a Defense Innovation Unit contract for long-range, one-way drones and more.

About 5,400 of the Space Force's 14,700 guardians are civilians as of the beginning of the month, but that number is already shrinking as they choose to apply for the administration's deferred resignation program:

Space Force bracing for upcoming civilian personnel reductions

Top officials within the country's smallest military service are bracing for major disruptions as the Trump administration promises to cut civilian personnel across the federal government.

The Defense Innovation Unit is looking to develop long-range, one-way drones:

DIU awards contracts for long-range, one-way drones; Ukrainian companies involved

The Pentagon's innovation arm has selected four companies, two of which are partnered with Ukrainian firms, to receive contracts under its project to operationally evaluate long-range, one-way drones, the Defense Innovation Unit announced late last week.

More coverage of a recent Defense Department inspector general's report on the Army's Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor program:

LTAMDS estimated to be a $13 billion program to acquire 94 air and missile defense radars

The Army estimates the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor program, designed to replace the aging Patriot radar, is on track to become one of the service's largest air defense modernization efforts with a total estimated cost of $13 billion, a sum not previously reported.

Document: DOD IG report on LTAMDS

The 3rd Multi-Domain Task Force was activated in September 2022 to support U.S. Army Pacific as a component of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command:

Army's 3rd MDTF will stand up long-range fires battalion over next 12-18 months

The Army's 3rd Multi-Domain Task Force will stand up its long-range fires battalion over the next 12 to 18 months, as part of a "sizeable amount of growth" for the task force, according to its commander.

We conclude with news on the Defense Department's Office of Net Assessment, which was created by President Richard Nixon in 1973 to serve as an internal think tank for the Pentagon:

Hegseth to restructure Office of Net Assessment

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the disestablishment of the Pentagon's storied Office of Net Assessment with the intent to "rebuild it."

The Senate voted 54-46 today to pass a yearlong continuing resolution that averts a government shutdown tonight but doesn't keep pace with inflation, thereby reducing Pentagon buying power. The CR, however, contains several provisions that grant the Defense Department financial flexibility.

Unlike past CRs, the current funding patch allows DOD to begin “new-start” programs if they have been included in fiscal year 2025 House and Senate appropriations bills. The department can also work with Congress to reprogram up to $8 billion.

The bill, which would extend government funding through Sept. 30, provides $892.5 billion for national defense in FY-25. The new topline is about $6 billion higher than FY-24 levels but below the $895 billion ceiling set by the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

Mark Cancian, an analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the below-inflation topline cuts DOD buying power by about $18 billion.

“If the administration does not find ways to add money to the national security budget, then the military would get smaller and weaker,” Cancian said. “Further, the administration will not be able to implement its defense initiatives like Golden Dome national missile defense and shipbuilding expansion.”

Some Republicans, like Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-MS), are working to make up the loss by increasing defense funding in an upcoming budget reconciliation bill slated to be considered in the coming months.

Senate Democrats, meanwhile, were under pressure to oppose the CR and shut down the government until the GOP negotiates over increases for non-defense spending.

All but one House Democrat voted against the measure when it narrowly passed the lower chamber earlier this week.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), in a Thursday floor speech, said the CR cut vital non-defense programs for the U.S. public, but threw his support behind it to avoid a government shutdown, which he said would be far more costly.

Sen. Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) told Fox News today that Republicans believe they have enough public support to continue pressuring Democrats.

“The middle of this country, the middle of this electorate wants us to get things done, wants the president to be successful, wants us to make government smaller and more efficient and to modernize it through technology -- and that’s what this is all about,” he said. “But you have to have the government funded in order to do that.”

Earlier today, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), who led Democrats’ near-uniform opposition in the House, declined to discuss Schumer’s decision to support the CR.

“Next question,” he said during a press conference.

Though some Democrats argued the CR gives President Trump to much leeway to circumvent Congress on appropriations matters, Schumer said Thursday that a shutdown would give Trump and billionaire advisor Elon Musk “carte blanche to destroy vital government services at a significantly faster rate than they can right now.”

"I believe it is my job to make the best choice for the country, to minimize the harms to the American people," he said. "Therefore, I will vote to keep the government open and not shut it down."

This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Pentagon's Office of Net Assessment, plus the looming continuing resolution that's due for a vote in the Senate sometime this afternoon or evening and more.

We start off with news on the Defense Department's Office of Net Assessment, which was created by President Richard Nixon in 1973 to serve as an internal think tank for the Pentagon:

Hegseth to restructure Office of Net Assessment

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the disestablishment of the Pentagon's storied Office of Net Assessment with the intent to "rebuild it."

The stopgap continuing resolution is now before the Senate, where it needs 60 votes to pass to avert a partial government shutdown starting just after midnight tonight. Here's our coverage so far:

Smith: Marine Corps modernization continues to be undercut by CRs

The lack of fiscal year 2025 spending legislation continues to undercut Marine Corps modernization efforts, according to Commandant Gen. Eric Smith, who listed aviation modernization efforts and the procurement of ship-killing missiles as priority areas at risk under Congress' current string of stopgap funding patches.

Republican CR would cut Pentagon buying power; lawmakers eye reconciliation for more

The GOP's yearlong continuing resolution that narrowly passed the House this week includes a variety of features -- like the authority to start some new programs and reallocate a greater amount of money during the fiscal year than previously allowed -- that were enough to win the support of defense advocates, though it amounts to a multibillion-dollar cut in military spending because it doesn't keep pace with inflation.

A new Defense Department inspector general's report determines "whether the Army effectively transitioned the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) program from the rapid prototyping pathway to the major capability acquisition pathway":

IG flags oversight gaps in middle-tier acquisition policy after LTAMDS goes off track

The Defense Department's inspector general has identified significant gaps in oversight for some weapon system acquisition programs, warning these shortfalls could lead to cost overruns and delays beyond the purview of Congress and Pentagon leaders with oversight responsibilities.

Document: DOD IG report on LTAMDS

House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green (R-TN) as well as Reps. Jen Kiggans (R-VA) and Don Davis (D-NC) this week introduced legislation that would create a commission to investigate the current condition of the U.S. maritime industry:

New bill would create commission to study maritime industrial base

A new bill introduced by a bipartisan group of lawmakers would establish a national commission on the maritime industrial base, following previous congressional and executive moves to bolster national shipbuilding efforts.

Document: Save Our Shipyards Act of 2025